Rahm hits the ground running

CHICAGO — Rahm Emanuel this morning began the difficult task of proving to Chicago voters he is still enough in touch with the city to be its mayor, kicking off his "tell it like it is tour" by racing through the streets of the South Loop and shaking hands with anyone who would give him the time.

Bystanders took pictures with their cell phones as the former White House chief of staff, accompanied by an entourage and swarmed by a gaggle of local reporters, walked through a Chicago Transit Authority station, passed a dry cleaners and went into a supermarket.

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"I like him," said Chicago policeman Jose Gonzalez, who asked Emanuel to sign his shirt. His "leadership" is what the city "needs."

But moving to a relatively empty Roosevelt Road nearby, Emanuel, who announced his candidacy in a video Sunday two days after officially leaving the White House, found himself searching for hands to shake. Some commuters stopped to say "Welcome back," but others merely walked past the former congressman, dressed in a suit with no tie, leaving Emanuel with an outstretched hand.

After finishing his opening round of casual meet-and-greets, Emanuel hopped into a Dodge Caravan, in which he could be seen vigorously sanitizing his hands in plain view of television cameras and reporters.

Monday's schedule of events — which includes several restaurant and bus station appearances — is just the first step for Emanuel, who now must confront the cold realities of a candidacy that is by no means assured of success, despite his name recognition and likely financial advantage over the field of other candidates.

And perhaps more significantly, opponents are already gunning for him, questioning his involvement in former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's alleged attempt to sell President Barack Obama's former Senate seat. Prosecutors plan to retry Blagojevich in his federal case as soon as January — a month before Chicago's Feb. 22 election.

One of his opponents, Gery Chico, a former chief of staff to Mayor Richard M. Daley, lost no time going on the attack Sunday, releasing a statement calling for Emanuel to come clean about his involvement in the Blagojevich dealings.

"The citizens of Chicago deserve to know the truth upfront," Chico said in his statement.

In his video Sunday, Emanuel made the case that he has the skills to lead the city.

"We need leadership that's tough enough to say no, when it needs to be said, and smart enough to know what government should do — and also what it can't do," Emanuel said, looking directly into the camera.

At least one Chicagoan believes him.

"He is really a strong person, and that's what we need in Chicago," Marietta Beverly said of Emanuel, after she got over what she described as “quite a surprise” running into him as she went to buy groceries.